During the inflammation phase, which type of cells act as phagocytes?

The focus of the question is on identifying the type of cells that act as phagocytes during the inflammation phase, which is a critical part of the healing process.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes, commonly referred to as neutrophils, are the first responders to sites of injury or infection. They play an essential role in the innate immune response by migrating to the site of inflammation where they engulf and digest pathogens, debris, and damaged tissue through the process of phagocytosis. Neutrophils are characterized by their multi-lobed nuclei and granules filled with enzymes that assist in the destruction of foreign materials.

While macrophages also have phagocytic capabilities and are critical later in the inflammatory process and tissue repair, neutrophils are often the first cells to arrive at the site of injury. It's important to understand that the term “polymorphonuclear leukocytes” encompasses a broader category, with neutrophils being a primary subset within that group. Thus, acknowledging neutrophils as polymorphonuclear leukocytes is valid, but it might be confusing as it misrepresents the specificity of neutrophils being the primary phagocytic cells in the initial stages of inflammation.

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